What's new and updated for payroll
Find out about new and updated payroll content, including legislative changes and Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) administrative policies. You can also learn about upcoming events, who can attend and how to register for free webinars hosted by the CRA.
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Rewritten content – Uniforms, protective clothing, safety and special clothing
- Reason for change: Clarity, completeness and plain language
- Effective date: Not applicable
- Refer to: Uniforms, protective clothing, safety and special clothing
Brief description
Generally, if an employer provides a benefit such as special clothing, an allowance or a reimbursement for special clothing to their employee, the benefit is taxable. Depending on the situation, the benefit may not be taxable under the CRA's administrative policy.
Content has been updated for clarity, completeness and plain language. No changes were made to the current CRA administrative policy.
Published on: January 22, 2024
Updated content – Payer or employer offered dental benefits
- Reason for change: Clarity and completeness
- Effective date: Slips filed for calendar year 2023 and after
Refer to:
Brief description
The following boxes were updated to provide clarity and completness:
T4 slip
Box 45 – Employer-offered dental benefits
T4A slip
Box 015 – Payer-offered dental benefits
These new boxes must be used to indicate whether the employee/recipient or any of their family members were eligible, on December 31 of that year, to access any dental care insurance, or coverage of dental services of any kind, that an employer or payer offered.
Published on: January 3, 2024
Rewritten content – Event tickets – Determine if a benefit is taxable
- Reason for change: Clarity, completeness and plain language
- Effective date: Not applicable
- Refer to: Event tickets
Brief description
Generally, event tickets an employer provides, pay or reimburse to employees are taxable. Depending on the situation, the benefit may not be taxable.
Published on: December 5, 2023
Rewritten content – How to calculate deductions, including CPP2
- Reason for change: Legislation, clarity, completeness and plain language
- Effective date: Not applicable
- Refer to: How to calculate
Brief description
Determine which methods you can use to calculate deductions, get the CPP contributions tables, the CPP2 contributions tables, the EI premiums tables, the claim codes and the income tax tables and how to manually calculate the amount to withhold
Published on: November 21, 2023
2024 Guide T4127 – Payroll Deductions Formulas – 119th Edition
- Reason for change: Legislation
- Effective date: Deductions made on or after January 1, 2024
- Refer to: 2024 Guide T4127 – Payroll Deductions Formulas – 119th Edition
Brief description
If you are a payroll software provider or a company which develops its own in-house payroll solution, you can now consult the T4127 119th Edition effective January 1st, 2024.
This guide has the formulas you need to determine federal, provincial (except Quebec), and territorial income taxes, Canada Pension Plan (CPP) contributions, and employment insurance (EI) premium deductions.
Published on: November 21, 2023
2024 rates and maximums for CPP, CPP2 and EI
- Reason for change: Legislation
- Effective date: Deductions made on or after January 1, 2024
- Refer to: Get ready to make deductions
Brief description
The CRA and Employment and Social Development Canada announced the new rates for 2024.
Learn more:
Published on: November 10, 2023
Free webinar – Personal services business (PSB)
- Reason for change: Not applicable
- Event date: October 25, 2023 Registration closed
- Refer to: Personal Services Businesses – Event hosted by Canada Revenue Agency
Brief description
Personal Services Businesses – Event hosted by the CRA
The CRA is hosting a free webinar to help incorporated individuals determine whether they meet the definition of a personal services business, and what that means in terms of tax obligations.
This webinar is for you if you are:
- Registered as a corporation and you're the only shareholder and employee of your corporation
- Doing work for one other corporation that would normally be done by an employee
- A worker who is considering incorporating for work
Registration closed The webinar is on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, at the following times:
Time of webinar for different time zones in Canada Session Newfoundland Atlantic Eastern Central Mountain Pacific English
Register now2:30 p.m. 2 p.m. 1 p.m. 12 p.m. 11 a.m. 10 a.m. French
Register now11:30 a.m. 11 a.m. 10 a.m. 9 a.m. 8 a.m. 7 a.m. Published on: October 13, 2023
Boxes added to the T4 and T4A slips – Payer or employer offered dental benefits
- Reason for change: Legislation
- Effective date: Slips filed for calendar year 2023 and after
Refer to:
Brief description
The following new boxes were added:
T4 slip
Box 45 – Employer-offered dental benefits
T4A slip
Box 015 – Payer-offered dental benefits
These new boxes must be used to indicate whether the employee/recipient or any of their family members were eligible, on December 31 of that year, to access any dental care insurance, or coverage of dental services of any kind, that an employer or payer offered.
Published on: October 13, 2023
Boxes added to the T4 slip and T4 Summary – CPP2 and QPP2 contributions
- Reason for change: Legislation
- Effective date: Slips filed for calendar year 2024 and after
- Refer to: T4 slip – Information for employers
Brief description
The following new boxes were added:
T4 slip
- Box 16A – Employee's second CPP contributions (CPP2)
- Box 17A – Employee’s second QPP contributions (QPP2)
T4 Summary
- Box 16A – Employee's second CPP contributions (CPP2)
- Box 27A – Employer’s second CPP contributions (CPP2)
These new boxes must be used to report the amount of CPP2 or QPP2 contributions.
Published on: October 13, 2023
CRA administrative policy introduced – Interest benefit may not be taxable for certain low-interest or interest-free loans received because of employment
- Reason for change: New CRA administrative policy
- Effective date: Benefits provided on or after January 1, 2023
- Refer to: Loans and employee debt
Brief description
Where a loan is received because of employment, the benefit will not need to be reported when:
- Total amount of all loans received is $10,000 or less per calendar year
- Term of the loan(s) is 60 days or less
- loan is not received because of shareholdings
Published on: September 25, 2023
CRA administrative policy introduced for full-time remote workers – Province of employment (POE)
- Reason for change: New CRA administrative policy
- Effective date: Determination made on or after January 1, 2024
- Refer to: Determine the province of employment (POE)
Brief description
Previously, the POE for full-time remote workers was determined by the location of the establishment of the employer that pays their remuneration.
Under the new policy, the POE for a full-time remote worker is determined by the location of the establishment of the employer to which they can reasonably be considered to be attached.
Indicators have been developed to assist employers in the determination of whether a worker is considered attached to an establishment.
Published on: September 15, 2023
Rewritten content – Get ready to make deductions, including CPP2
- Reason for change: Legislation, clarity, completeness and plain language
- Effective date: For CPP2 deductions made after January 1, 2024
- Refer to: Get ready to make deductions
Brief description
Learn about Canada Pension Plan (including second additional CPP contributions), Employment Insurance and the income tax deductions, including the CPP, CPP2, EI and income tax rates, the CPP/EI maximums and the CPP exemptions.
Published on: September 5, 2023
Distribution requirement changes – Consent may not be required when distributing slips by email or using a secure electronic portal
- Reason for change: Legislation
- Effective date: Effective retroactively
- Refer to: Distribute the slips
Brief description
Employers and payers can distribute T4, T4A, T5, T2202 or T4FHSA slips using an employer or payer's secure electronic portal without obtaining written or electronic consent from the employees or recipients before distributing the slips unless an exceptional situation applies, or the taxpayer has requested the information return be provided in paper format.
Published on: September 5, 2023
Electronic filing requirement changes – Information returns may need to be filed electronically if more than 5 slips
- Reason for change: Legislation
- Effective date: Returns filed on or after January 1, 2024
- Refer to: How to file information returns
Brief description
The threshold for mandatory electronic filing of income tax information returns for a calendar year has been lowered from 50 to 5 for information returns filed after December 31, 2023.
Published on: August 12, 2023
Rewritten content – Payment of fees for services
- Reason for change: Clarity, completeness and plain language
- Effective date: Not applicable
- Refer to: Payments of fees for services
Brief description
Payers are required to report fees for services on a T4A, T5018 or T1204 slip, depending on who the payment was made to.
Content was rewritten and improved to provide guidance on indicators when a payment is made for a good or a service.
Published on: August 3, 2022
Electronic remitting requirement changes – Employers and payers should need to pay electronically if paying (remitting) more than $10,000
- Reason for change: Legislation
- Effective date: Payments made on or after January 1, 2024
- Refer to: How to remit (pay)
Brief description
As of January 1, 2024, remittances or payments to the Receiver General of Canada should be made as an electronic payment if the amount is more than $10,000. Payers may face a penalty unless they cannot reasonably remit or pay the amount electronically.
Published on: July 17, 2023
CRA administrative policy updated – Long-service awards part of the gift card policy
- Reason for change: Update to CRA administrative policy
- Effective date: Benefits provided on or after January 1, 2023
- Refer to: Gifts, awards, and long-service awards
Brief description
Change allows certain gift cards to be used for providing long-service awards. Criteria for the gift cards able to be used for long-service awards is the same as for gift cards used in providing non-cash gifts and awards.
Published on: February 28, 2023
CRA administrative policy introduced and updated – New ratio to simplify when parking benefit is taxable
- Reason for change: Update and new CRA administrative policy
- Effective date: Benefits provided on or after January 1, 2022
- Refer to: Parking
Brief description
A new ratio has been provided to help simplify when a taxable parking benefit must be included in income in cases where a limited number of parking spaces are provided to employees by the employer.
Published on: October 13, 2022
CRA administrative policy introduced and updated – Benefit may not be taxable for certain social events
- Reason for change: Update and new CRA administrative policy
- Effective date: Benefits provided on or after January 1, 2022
- Refer to: Social events and hospitality functions
Brief description
A new category has been created for virtual social events. Virtual social events can be provided by an employer for its employees and not be considered to be a taxable benefit as long as the cost per employee is $50 or less when only hospitality is provided, or $100 or less where both hospitality and entertainment are provided. Where the event is both in-person and virtual, for administrative convenience, the current cost limit per person of $150 will apply.
Published on: October 13, 2022
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